Plastic lens and guard



SEARCH ROO Feb. 6, 1951 M. c. KESSLER, JR

PLASTIC LENS AND GUARD Filed Sept. 16. 1946 SEARCH ROOM Patented Feb. 6, 1951 r UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE PLASTIC LENS AND GUARD Martin C. Kessler, Jr., Detroit, Mich.

Application September 16, 1946, Serial No. 697,184

1 Claim. (01. 88-57) 1 2 In recent years, it has become generally known that the cement used to position a glass or that optical lenses of varying types can be made, transparent plate M in the groove I6 will prefhaving any desired dioptral power, of plastic erablybe a transparent cement. material. Furthermore, these lenses are, gen- In the above described manner, the hard surerally speaking, considerably lighte than a lens faced transparent plates H are cemented to the of equal dioptral power made of glass which edge pieces I2, formed integrally with the lens has been properly ground. It, in such position that the transparent plates A fundamental difficulty with plastic lenses is are spaced apart from the lens surfaces and do that the plastic material of which they are made not contact the lens at any point. In this manis relatively soft, and may be inadvertently 10 ner a lens I0 of desired dioptric power may be scratched and consequently its value as a clear molded, and by cementing over the surface lens is often diminished relatively soon after the thereof a hard transparent material spaced apart lens from the lens, the lens It may retain its dioptral power for an indefinite length of time and will tic lens which may be protected from scratchnot become scratched by any hard or sharp ining or the like by the use of a thin covering of/ strument bearing against the surface of the finhard trans arent material. ished product.

"further 0 ect is toprovide a plastic lens In the modified form of lens shown in Fig. 2. over which a hard surfaced transparent matea lens is provided in the same manner as the rial may be positioned either in contact with or 20 lens 10 referred to above, but in this modified spaced apart from the plastic lens, form the edge pieces 01' rims 22, molded with A further object is to provide a plastic lens the le s 0, are preferably provided With Scorhaving a cover of a hard transparent material ings 26 into which suitable hard surfaced plates which may be cemented or molded into position 4 m y be inserted. to protect the surface of the plastic lens. During the insertion of the plates 24, the rims In the accompanying drawings: or edge pieces 22 are heated to a desired tem- Fig. l is a vertical cross-section of a plastic perature so that they are made pliable and may lens havin hard transparent plates spaced apart be conveniently placed over the edge surfaces of over the surfaces of the lens; the plate 24 and subsequently, while still heated,

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of a modified ay be pressed therearound to hold the plate form of a plastic lens having hard transparent 24 in its adjusted position. In this manner, the plates spaced apart over the surfaces of the lens; edge pieces 22 may securely hold the hard surand I faced plates 24 in their position by a knurling Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section of a condenser process. type plastic lens having a hard finish transpar- In the modified form disclosed in Fig. 3, the

ent plate cemented to a flat surface thereof. plastic lens 30 therein disclosed is designed to In producing plastic lenses, a mold is providbe in the form of a condenser type of lens, nameed and is designed so that a lens I0 may be 1y having one flat surface and one convex surmolded of a clear, plastic material which will face (a plano-convex lens). Preferably two produce a lens of a desired dioptral power. In condenser lenses 30 are produced, and each lens following my invention a mold is formed to pro- 30 is provided with a peripheral binding 32 vide edge pieces l2, molded integrally with a molded integrally with the lens. In producing lens having sides extending outwardly beyond this form of lens, I preferably provide grooves the thickness of the lens it. These side or edge 36 in the p r pher l binding 32 so that the edges pieces I 2 may be made in the form of a circle of the hard surfaced plate 34 may be inserted or rim around the periphery of the lens I 0, or therein. The insertion of the plate 34 is made they may be made in any desired shape to proin the grooves 36 of the peripheral binding 32 in vide a rim around the entire lens and spaced the same manner as described above with referapart from the faces of the lens to support a ence to Fig. 2; but in addition to this form of transparent hard surfaced material such as glass binding, the hard surfaced plate 34 is preferor the like l4. In the form disclosed in Fig. l, ably cemented, by the use of a transparent the glass or other hard surfaced transparent macement, on the plano surface of the lens 30. terial I4 is preferably cemented to the side piece It will be understood that it may be found l2 fitting snugly within a groove I6 cut in the preferable to provide a groove in the peripheral edge pieces. It will be understood, of course, 56 binding 32, as disclosed in Fig. 1, so that the 3 plate 34 may be cemented to the plano surface of the lens 30 and to the binding 32 in one operation.

After two of these condenser type lenses have been produced as described above, they may be cemented together to produce lenses as disclosed in Fig. 3, by the use of any desired form of cement placed on flat surfaces 38 provided on the peripheral binding 32. By thus cementing two bindings together, with their associated lenses 38 and hard surfaced transparent plates 34. a guarded lens will be produced, as disclosed in Fig. 3.

In this construction of lens, it will be obvious that there will be an air space provided between the convex surfaces of the lens 30, and on the plano surface thereof suitable hard surfaced transparent plates 34 will be cemented to prevent the lens 30 from being scratched.

It will be understood that by the use of my construction, the hard surfaced transparent plates I4, 24 and 34 will be so held over the dioptral power portions I0, 20 and 30, respectively, no dirt, moisture or other foreign objects may contact the surface of the lens.

I claim:

A plurality of plano-convex molded lenses, a

4 peripheral rim molded with the said planoconvex lenses, grooves near the edge of said rim, hard transparent plates secured to the plano surface of the lenses and held by the said grooves, and means securing said lenses in spaced-apart positions having their convex surfaces remote from the said hard transparent plates.

MARTIN C. KESSLER, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 859,215 Guilbert July 9, 1907 2,056,693 Stanley Oct. 6, 1936 2,088,262 Gram July 2'7, 1937 2,314,838 Kingston Mar. 23, 1943 2,330,663 Bennett et a1. Sept. 28, 1943 2,332,930 Rinia Oct. 26, 1943 2,346,002 Bennett et al Apr. 4, 1944 2,361,589 Bennett et al. Oct. 31, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 490,381 Great Britain Aug. 15, 1938 

